Abstract
In spite of the unique conditions they have to operate under, the pineal organs of Antarctic fishes have not previously been examined. We determined immunohistochemically that in the end-vesicles and the pineal stalks of Pagothenia borchgrevinki (a species found directly beneath the sea-ice) as well as Trematomus bernacchii (a species preferring somewhat deeper water than the former) at least two populations of physiologically-different cells occurred that displayed reactions indicative of typical vertebrate photoreceptors. Comparisons with immunocytochemically treated retinal sections from the eyes of the same two species showed that anti-opsin reactivity, characteristic of rods, was particularly strong in the lumina of the pineal stalks of both species. Anti-visinin reactions stained cones in the retinal sections of both fishes and occurred throughout the pineal organs, but in particular in the end vesicles of the pineals of both species. The difference in preferred habitat depth between the two species appears to have had very little influence on both retinal and pineal immunocytochemistry. It is concluded that the pineal organs of both species, at least during the austral summer, exhibit signs of being directly photo-sensitive.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bolliet, V., Begay, V., Taragnat, C., Ravault, J.P., Collin,J.P. & FalcÓn, J. (1996) Photoreceptor cells of the pike pineal organ as cellular circadian oscillators. European Journal of Neuroscience 9, 643–53.
Cahill, G.M. (1996) Circadian regulation of melatonin production in cultured zebrafish pineal and retina. Brain Research 708, 177–81.
EkstrÖm, P. & Meissl, H. (1997) The pineal organ of teleost fishes. Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries 7, 199–284.
Eastman, J.T. (1993) Antarctic Fish Biology. San Diego: Academic Press.
FalcÓn, J., Begay, V., Besse, C., Ravault, J.P. & Collin, J.P. (1992) Pineal photoreceptor cells in culture: Fine structure and light control of cyclic nucleotide levels and melatonin production. Journal of Neuroendocrinology 4, 641–51.
Fenwick, J.C. (1970). The pineal organ. In Fish Physiology, Vol. 4. (edited by Hoar, W.S. & Randall, D.J.) pp. 91–108. New York, London: Academic Press.
Filadelfi, A.M.C. & Castrucci, A. (1996) Comparative aspects of the pineal/melatonin system of poikilothermic vertebrates. Journal of Pineal Research 20, 175–86.
Hariyama, T., Terakita, A. & Meyer-rochow, V.B. (1993) Rhythmicity of chromophore turnover of visual pigment in the Antarctic amphipod Orchomene plebs (Crustacea; Amphipoda). Journal of Comparative Physiology A 173, 615–19.
Kuo, C.-H., Tamotsu, S., Morita, Y., Shinozawa, T., Akiyama, M. & Miki, N. (1988) Presence of retina-specific proteins in the lamprey pineal complex. Brain Research 442, 147–51.
Martensson, L.G.E. & Andersson, R.G.G. (1997) Denervation of pigment cells lead to a receptor that is ultrasensitive to melatonin and noradrenaline. Life Sciences 60, 1575–82.
Mayer, I., Bornestaf, C. & Borg, B. (1997) Melatonin in non-mammalian vertebrates: Physiological role in reproduction. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology 118A, 515–31.
Meissl, H. (1997) Photic regulation of pineal function. Biology of the Cell 89, 549–54.
Meissl, H. & EkstrÖm, P. (1988) Photoreceptor responses to light in the isolated pineal organ of the trout (Salmo gairdneri) Neuroscience 25, 1071–76.
Meyer-rochow, V.B. & Klyne, M.A. (1982) Retinal organization of the eyes of three nototheniid fishes from the Ross Sea (Antarctica). Gegenbaurs Morphologisches Jahrbuch 128, 762–77.
Morita, Y. (1966) Entladungsmuster pinealer Neurone der Regenbogenforelle (Salmo irideus) bei Belichtung des Zwischenhirns. Pflügers Archiv 289, 155–67.
Morita, Y. (1992) Pineal-dependent locomotor activity of lamprey, Lampetra japonica, measured in relation to LD cycle and circadian rhythmicity. Journal of comparative Physiology A 171, 555–62.
Morita, Y., Meyer-rochow, V.B. & Uchida, K. (1997) Absolute and spectral sensitivities in dark-and light-adapted Pagothenia borchgrevinki, an Antarctic nototheniid fish. Physiology and Behaviour 61, 159–63.
Obika, M. & Meyer-rochow, V.B. (1986) Ultrastructure of microtubules in dermal melanophores and spinal nerve of the Antarctic Pagothenia borchgrevinki.Cell and Tissue Research 244, 339–43.
Pankhurst, N.W. & Montgomery, J.C. (1989) Visual function in four Antarctic nototheniid fishes. Journal of Experimental Biology 142, 311–24.
Samejima, M., Tamotsu, S., Uchida, K., Moriguchi, Y. & Morita, Y.(1997) Melatonin excretion rhythms in the cultured pineal organ of the lamprey, Lampetra japonica.Biological Signals 6, 241–46.
Uchida, K. & Morita, Y. (1990) Intracellular responses from UV-sensitive cells in the photosensory pineal organ. Brain Research 534, 237–42.
Uchida, K. & Morita, Y. (1994) Spectral sensitivity and mechanism of interaction between inhibitory and excitatory responses of photosensory pineal neurons. Pflügers Archiv 427, 373–77.
Vigh, B., Vigh-teichmann I. & Oksche, A. (1985) Sensory cells of the ‘rod’ and ‘cone’ type in the pineal organ of Rana esculenta, as revealed by immunoreaction against opsin and by the presence of an oil (lipid) droplet. Cell and Tissue Research 240, 143–48.
Vigh-teichmann, I. & Vigh, B. (1990) Opsin immunocytochemical characterization of different types of photoreceptors in the frog pineal organ. Journal of Pineal Research 8, 323–33.
Vigh-teichmann, I., Ali, M.A. SzÉl, A. & Vigh, B. (1991) Ultrastructure and opsin immunocytochemistry of the pineal complex of the larval Arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus: a comparison with the retina. Journal of Pineal Research 10, 196–209.
Vigh-teichmann, I., Ali, M.A. & Vigh, B. (1992) Comparative ultrastructure and opsin immunocytochemistry of the retina and pineal organ in fish. Progress in Brain Research 91, 307–13.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Meyer-ROCHOW, V.B., Morita, Y. & Tamotsu, S. Immunocytochemical observations on pineal organ and retina of the Antarctic teleosts Pagothenia borchgrevinki and Trematomus bernacchii. J Neurocytol 28, 125–130 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007024222758
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007024222758